Real-time atomic force microscopy imaging of photoinduced surface deformation in AsxSe100-x chalcogenide films

We present direct measurements of the kinetics of surface relief gratings (SRGs) formation in amorphous AsxSe100-x (20 < x(As)< 50) thin films. SRGs are induced in different holographic schemes of recording using near-band-gap light and their growth is further facilitated by illumination with an interference pattern and observed in real time by in situ atomic force microscopy. It is found that the kinetics of SRG formation depends upon film composition and incident light polarization. The light-stimulated vectorial surface deformations are maximized for Se-rich glasses and increase even further by additional illumination during recording.